Kingdom Hearts: Dark Trinity
by SorasOblivion
Summary: Four years ago Destiny Islands lost its heart to the Darkness but in that same instant, a new heart was born; a dark heart that has remained, to most, a secret. After years of careful watch, however, a mysterious veil falls upon the world, shielding it from the eyes of the outside world (summary contd.) SoRiku, Akuroku, Zemyx, and more XD
1. Chapter 1

**Kingdom Hearts: Dark Trinity**

OOO

A/N: So I'm finally back from my short [ridiculously long-lasting and unnecessary] hiatus that I've been [hiding] on. I've basically had this story in my head ever since finishing up my last one, "Kingdom Hearts: From the Ashes," but I've just been too lazy/haven't had time to actually put it down in words (thanks college); that, and I also hate that awkward starting phase with writing new stories. It's one of the many illogical fears that I have, probably because they are so dull to write in most cases, not all, but most; there's always so much fluff and blah blah blah. You get it. But anyway, I've finally sat down and cranked [spent hours upon hours thinking about how the hell I was going to begin this] out something for all you lovely fans out there. By now, I've pretty much written the entire story in my head and just need to get it down on paper. Everything should start flowing pretty nicely once I get going...or at least I hope so. I have a lot in store for this story, with lots of interesting plot twists and new characters of my own to add to the mix. I hope you all stick it out, because I'm sure [not-so-secretly hoping] that you'll love it as much I enjoy it myself. Well, considering I dislike introductions so much, I should probably stop beating around the bush and give some sort of summary. Summarizing, another thing I'm not too fond of but also a necessary evil in order to get you to actually want to read my story (which I hope you will). Anyways, here goes nothing. I'll try not to spoil too much. I recommend you read my previous story first considering this follows from it. Well here it is, "Kingdom Hearts: Dark Trinity," the much overdue sequel to "Kingdom Hearts: From the Ashes." And since it's now after midnight here, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Enjoy!

***Summary: Four years ago Destiny Islands lost its heart to the Darkness but in that same instant, a new heart was born; a dark heart that has remained, to most, a secret. After years of careful watch, however, a mysterious veil falls upon the world, shielding it from the eyes of the outside world. Sora and the gang are recruited once again to rejoin the battlefield to uncover the truth behind this looming darkness. Little do they know that they've taken upon themselves something much more than just another battle. Will they be able to resist temptation and master their own dark desires, or have they finally met an opponent they can't overcome? Beware, for the Dark Trinity has awakened.

***Soriku, Akuroku, Zemyx and whatever pops into this little head of mine XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters that appear throughout the series, Final Fantasy included (no matter how much I wish I did). I do, however, own the plot and any other characters that I create within it. Well, now that all of the formalities and introductions are complete, it FINALLY begins (promise I will not talk this much ever again except to thank all of my lovely reviewers 3)!

-SorasOblivion

* * *

**Chapter 1: Back to the Beginning**

OOO

A dangerous storm brewed off of the coast of the tiny island. Bolts of lightning surged across the deep, purple sky, dancing in between the ominous clouds. The thunderous roar caused the earth to shudder from the force of the shock while the ocean's waves crashed violently on the sandy beach. A powerful wind pressed heavily against the shore, bending over palm trees like they were mere blades of grass. This, however, was no ordinary storm; there was something dark and destructive behind this phenomenon.

Soon, the very ground beneath the feet of its inhabitants began to crumble, and gravity itself began to fail. Shadowy creatures surfaced and overran the little island, taking with them the hearts of all of the innocent people. You see, this world had lost its heart and would soon dissolve into nothingness. Total destruction would be the fate of Destiny Islands, and there was nothing that I nor anyone else could do to stop it.

OOO

"Riku," I pleaded to my silver-haired friend as I began to sink into the black pool of darkness.

"Take my hand, Sora," replied Riku with shimmering aquamarine eyes staring intently into my own, paralyzed and filled with complete terror and confusion.

My heart was pounding against the walls of my chest. I had no idea what was happening and could only look on as my home crumbled to pieces before my very eyes. Even Kairi had mysteriously disappeared, vanishing like ghost as I helplessly watched her fade into wind; nothing seemed to make sense as my island turned upside down; literally turned upside down. And even then, my only remaining friend, Riku, stood in front of me, urging me to follow him into the abyss as if somehow he knew what was going on; that somehow things would be alright. I already knew the ending to this tragic story...or so I thought.

Something changed in that instant. Riku's eyes glazed over, filling with a feathery, white mist that swirled weightlessly within those tiny spheres. A strange and silent air surrounded us on this little piece of earth that remained beneath us. Finally, he spoke. But it was not his voice that issued from the mouth of my friend. No. It was all wrong as the deep, hoarse voice whispered ever so clearly:

_"Those who seek out truth and light_

_will find themselves in darkest night._

_And that which plagues their heart's desire,_

_will lead them down a path of tire._

_When hope runs out and fear sinks in,_

_only in faith will the darkness end."_

I panicked as dark tendrils twisted around my entire body and dragged me beneath the surface of the dark eddy. I was completely engulfed in its embrace, helpless against its grip. I thought this terrible feeling would never end. The only sound that filled the silent void were those ominous words echoing in my mind.

OOO

I bolted upright, clutching my chest; I could still feel the sensation of the cold darkness wrapped around my skin like a heavy cloak weighing down upon me. Looking around, I realized that I was sitting in my own bed. The breeze whistled softly against the bedroom window situated above my desk. Everything was ok; it was only a dream I told myself; well, more like a nightmare. Or was it? I remember _that_ moment four years ago crystal clear, and I know for a fact that Riku never said anything resembling that strange...warning would you call it? And what was with the weird voice and that look in his eyes? That wasn't the Riku I remember nor was it how things had happened the night Destiny Islands had disappeared; that much I can be certain of. But what does it all mean? Am I just being para–

I was interrupted from thought as the same boy from my dream rolled over in his sleep, draping his arm softly on my lap. "Sora," Riku murmured quietly. I watched as his chest rose slowly with each soundless breath. Several silver locks fell carelessly over the milky white skin of his face, and the way the moonlight struck his pale skin made him seem almost transparent. Reaching down, I gently brushed the stray strands behind his ear. In my mind, it was still unbelievable to think that it had almost been an entire year since the whole incident with Dryxl and the revival of the Organization; that a year ago, the universe was nearly destroyed, and we joined forces with the members of the Organization to stop it from happening, and, in the process, formed new, lifelong friendships between them–Axel, Demyx, and Zexion; and that I was finally able to express my undying (technically there was a little death involved, but we'll disregard that for now) love for Riku, which, from the present situation (him sleeping in my bed with me), turned out pretty successfully I'd say, smiling to myself. All in all, what seemed like our most dangerous threat and greatest catastrophe to date (the universe almost being disintegrated...again), ended up bringing us all together in a long-lasting and unforgettable way.

And speaking of us, it was quite interesting explaining to our parents about the whole situation and our newly acquired friends. At first they had the whole deer caught in headlights look on their faces which was to be expected. How would you take it if you found out your children had died in battle, were brought back to life, and decided to bring some strangers back home to add to the mix. After everything had sunk in though, (lots of crying and hugging followed by venomous threats about this and that) we talked through everything and figured out living arrangements for the new additions to the gang.

Roxas got his own room in my house of course, considering he is technically a part of me; the same went for Namine and Kairi. For the others, Riku's parents happily took in the fiery red-head, Axel; they seemed to like his 'upbeat' attitude and tenacity. Don't ask me why. They seemed to think he was a 'breath of fresh air' and very 'expressive' in comparison to their own 'reserved' son, referring to none other than Riku. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Ya see, Axel and I have a 'love-hate' relationship you could say. One minute we're chatting it up being buddy-buddy and the next we're pulling each other's hair out and saying 'kind' words to one another. We have our own way of keeping each other in check, otherwise known as blackmail. Taking into account that he was living with my boyfriend and vice versa, we managed to be civil in order to keep peace (order in the bedroom) between each other. Anyway, moving on...as for Zexion and Demyx, Kairi's parents conveniently owned a beach cottage on the far side of the island that they only used during the summer. They didn't mind lending it to them and actually thought it was a good idea that someone was putting it to good use, aka Demyx ravaging poor, unsuspecting Zexion without anyone to hear his muffled cries (more like moans) for help. The dynamic duo, however, was also working on and off for King Mickey, doing side missions, peacekeeping, and whatever strange predicaments Mickey managed to get himself into. Therefore, they were frequently in and out of the island, making the cottage a perfect getaway for the two.

So what used to be our quaint group of three had now grown to be a much larger 'family' with a lot more 'character' you could say. Considering Roxas and Axel were an item and Riku and I as well, there was a lot of hopping between houses from day-to-day depending on who was doing what (or who was doing whom I should say). All in all, there was never a dull moment among the lot of us, which could be considered a good or a bad thing depending on the day of the week. Our little dysfunctional group had grown so close in the past year, it was as though we'd been together our entire lives.

I laid back down, curling myself next to Riku's sleeping form, fitting myself into the crook of his body. His arm shifted smoothly and weaved itself around my waist, snuggling me closer to his warm, bare chest. I closed my eyes and let the worries of that dream drift into the recesses of my mind. I mean, there was no need to panic. It had practically been a year without any warnings from the King about any apocalyptic threats, or even minor ones at that. It was summertime, and I wasn't going to let some nightmare get the best of me, especially when the entire gang was going to be having a nice, relaxing beach day tomorrow. But even so, those eerie words still echoed in the back of my mind, sending a haunting chill through my bones...

OOO

I was so kindly awakened by the beaming light of the morning sun, intent upon ruining any chance of sleeping a minute longer by burning its way through the blinds. I rolled over to glance at Riku who seemed completely unfazed by the giant spotlight hovering over us. He laid there completely oblivious with a look of absolute bliss upon his face. I couldn't help but smile at the tough guy turned teddy bear during his slumber. At that, his eyelids fluttered open grudgingly, and he grinned smugly at me.

"Morning sunshine," cooed Riku, raising his hand to caress my cheek softly before smoothly brushing his tender lips against mine.

Catching me off-guard, my face flushed a rosy shade of pink that I couldn't hold back. In response, I maneuvered my leg in between Riku's, gently nudging my knee against Riku's more sensitive area and smirking as he closed his eyes at the 'innocent' gesture. "Good morning to you, love," I murmured, continuing the fluid motion I'd just started. A quiet moan escaped the lips of the silver-haired boy, and he grasped my cheeks, bringing our lips together once more and brimming with more heated passion than the latter.

"Ungh, Sora!" he uttered lightly before expertly positioning himself above me, slyly straddling my waist.

I looked up and was met with a mischievous glint in those pretty green eyes of his. I allowed my eyes to wander downward, mapping out the slender but well-muscled chest of Riku. You had to admit, he had a banging body (much emphasis on banging). He seemed to delight in my curious gaze of his form and smirked coyly. This little game continued as Riku's lips found themselves in the nape of my neck, tongue exploring and toying with the sensitive skin while eliciting a half-muffled groan I was attempting to hold back. I took this moment to run my fingers through the his silky, silver tresses, continuing to descend, sliding my fingers teasingly down the curve of his back. Riku arched at the touch, and smoothly maneuvered his hand under my nightshirt. He snaked his fingers along my chest, and my lustful moan was drowned out by his hungry kiss. Riku's hand slid under the waistband of my boxers and––

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. "Sora! Riku!" came my mom's voice from the other side of unlocked door. I shoved Riku off of me, nearly throwing him off of the bed in the process, and we quickly tried to compose ourselves; this was easier said than done considering the particular act of business we were just partaking in. "I hope you two are decent, because I'm coming in," she continued, busting in the room cheerful as ever. I curled my knees up to my chest in an attempt to conceal my 'little' problem down below while Riku gripped the comforter tightly, pulled it up to his chin and pretended to seem as though her knock at the door had just woken him up. My mom, however, was not fooled so easily, and nothing escaped her uncanny, motherly intuition. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything," she uttered, the sarcasm practically oozing from her pores. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to the market to run some errands, and that I packed a giant picnic basket full of goodies and whatnot for your little beach date today," she beamed, giving a little wink for extra emphasis.

"Mom, I'm seventeen now," I retorted. "I'm not a kid anymore. I am perfectly capable of packing my own lunch and supplies for a day at the beach. And it's not a date! We're meeting the entire gang for a relaxing get-together."

"Uh huh, sweetie, whatever you say," responded my mom, completely ignoring my last statement.

Riku couldn't hold back a snort. "I think what Sora meant to say was thank you, Mrs. Hiyashi. We really appreciate everything."

"No, I meant exactly––"

"Awwww," squealed Mom, brimming with pure happiness. "You're such a sweetheart, Riku. Why can't you be more of a gentleman like your boyfriend. Maybe he'll start to rub off on you and not just in the sex––"

"OK! STOP, MOM!" I screamed, scarlet consuming my entire body from embarrassment. "Please, just go run your errands. I'm begging you!"

My mother was overflowing with content and giggling to herself like a little school girl, and Riku wasn't helping at all with his own laughing adding to the mix. "I'm just teasing you, Sora," chortled Mrs. Hiyashi. "I'll leave you two to your little 'get-together' and whatever else you were in the middle of doing before I barged in. Ciao!"

I chucked a pillow violently in her direction, but she was too quick, managing to escape like a ninja as the cushion collided with the door.

"Oh my god," I seethed, "I can't believe she just did that."

"Don't worry, love," consoled Riku with a little snicker. "She's just being playful, and at least she's comfortable with our 's all that really matters to me. As a matter of fact, I can see where you get your spunk from," he laughed.

And with that, I lightly nudged (rammed) Riku, and he happened to tumble (crash) to the floor lightly (with a loud thud). "Oh, I'm sorry, Riku," I apologized sarcastically, "I guess I was just being 'playful' like my mom. My bad...," I added, innocently batting my eyelashes and pouting my lips.

Riku looked up at me with an intense fire burning in his eyes, "Oh, mister," he spoke, his voiced laced with both desire and revenge, "I'll show you playful."

My eyes grew to the size of saucers at his words. I knew what was coming next. "I was just kidding, Riku," I chuckled, backpedaling to the far side of the bed and drawing the blanket up as a shield. Riku started creeping slowly and deliberately towards me. "There's no need to get hasty..."

Riku smirked, "I'm just doing what your mother told me to do," and then he pounced like a tiger, pinning down his prey...me.

OOO

Ouch...that's what came to mind after that 'encounter' with Riku if you could call it that. I mean, for the most part, Riku was sweet, romantic, and overprotective of me, but we did have our more intense 'sessions' together. This, however, was way more excessive than I've ever experienced, so 'ouch' seems like the appropriate response as I walked (clung to the handrail for dear life) down the stairs to get everything that we needed for the beach. I stumbled clumsily to the kitchen where mom had placed the packed picnic basket that she had mentioned. When she referred to picnic basket and 'whatnot,' I'd assumed maybe a blanket or something to go along with lunch. No, she had laid out sunscreen, a blanket, beach umbrella, volleyball net, and basically everything but the kitchen sink (although it quite possibly could be buried beneath everything). Not that I was complaining, because it saved us a hell of lot of time from having to pack earlier this morning.

Riku came sauntering in like a knight who had just conquered the world, but I knew how to keep his ego in check. He barely had time to dodge it as the beach umbrella came hurtling at him like a javelin. If he wanted to act like a knight in shining armor, I'd show him a knight.

"Sora," questioned Riku with a slight hesitance in his voice, "What's the big–"

He didn't have a chance to finish that phrase due to the flying lawn chair that whizzed over that enormous head of his.

"I decided that since you decided to be so 'playful' earlier," I chided, lifting the enormous cooler over my head, "that you can carry all of this yourself."

Riku waved his hands frantically in front of his face in hopes of calming the hurricane. "Come on, Sora," he pleaded with a sense of surrender and apprehension. "I'm sorry about early. Really! I was just kidding. I promise it won't happen again. Now can you just put the cooler down slowly, and everything will be all right. Let's just get this stuff together, and we can go meet everyone at the beach and enjoy ourselves. I can even buy you some of that sea salt ice cream that you like so much. Sound good, love?" he finished, hoping that he'd managed to subdue the deadly onslaught of hurtling beach supplies.

"Ice cream!" I squealed in delight, dropping the thirty-pound cooler with a heavy thunk. Riku gulped, imagining that even a second more and that floor could have been his head. "Awww, Riku. You're so sweet to me." I scuttled up to him like a little fiddler crab, placing a quick peck on his flushed cheeks before walking to the door. "You wouldn't mind using those _strong_ arms of yours to carry this stuff, would you? Thanks, Riku! You're the best boyfriend ever," I responded before he could even say a word. I skipped happily out the door whistling in a tone of triumph.

Riku collapsed to the floor in complete exasperation. "Sora may be the sweetest person I know, with rainbows and butterflies practically following in his wake, but man can he be scary..." thought Riku, taking a deep breath of relief. This made him really wonder, "Considering how much Sora took after his mother, I'd hate to see him and Mrs. Hiyashi go at. I think we'd find a threat that would bring even the most terrifying Heartless to its knees. Now _that_ was truly a terrifying thought..."

OOO

Riku and I arrived at our childhood hangout around noon with the sun blazing down upon us like we were bugs under the scope of a child's magnifying glass. The cool, coastal breeze gave us some relief and was blowing nicely along the shore, making the intense heat just bearable. Besides, it _was_ the beach after all. We'd also made some changes to the usual spot. We converted the little, wooden shack that leads to the tiny island via the planked bridge, into a sorta tiki bar you could say; that way we could bring drinks and the such to store them there whenever we needed them.

Anyways, as we walked closer towards our meeting spot, I noticed quite a few familiar figures already waiting. There was one person that seemed to be jumping up and down excitedly, who I assumed was Kairi of course. That same figure came bolting in our direction like a child who had spotted an ice cream stand, dead set on being the first one served.

"Riku! Sora!" echoed the animated voice of the redhead as she charged closer and closer. I contemplated running for dear life but instead settled on welcoming death with open arms. In other words, I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and braced myself for the inevitable. I waited. And waited. And waited...nothing happened. I decided to chance a peek and slowly opened one eye only to find myself face-to-face with the beast herself.

Kairi laughed and lightly bopped her finger on my nose. "You look like you were expecting the end of the world or something, Sora," she snickered playfully, obviously aware that just moments before I had been fearing for my life.

Riku was attempting to restrain his laughter but was finding it much harder than anticipated. I glanced in his direction, giving him the death stare and silently warning him to stop unless he wanted to find another hurtling beach umbrella in his near future; and this time, I wouldn't be aiming for his head but rather a much more unpleasant spot of his.

"Ha ha," I pretended to play off. "I just got some sand in my eyes. That's all. How have you been, Kairi?"

She was dressed in a light pink bikini speckled with white polkadots along with a translucent, pink beach shawl tied comfortably around her waist. Her deep, blue eyes sparkled as she responded, "Oh, you know, same ole same ole. Just trying to keep myself occupied doing this and that. I ran into these guys while I was on my way over here," she added, gesturing to the rest of the gang who had finally managed to catch up to the energetic [terrifying] girl.

Zexion, Demyx, Axel, and Roxas came ambling up from behind her. Zexion was adorned in plain, black boardshorts and an open white button-down shirt while accessorizing with sunglasses, a large straw hat covering his steel-blue hair, and toting an enormous book at his side; clearly he was planning more on avoiding the intensity of the sun's rays and less on partaking in the beach festivities, which, in truth, was probably for the best considering that extremely fair-skinned body of his.

Roxas also wore boardshorts but instead of the typical black color of Zexion's, they were pearl white which nicely accentuated the boy's beautifully, bronzed complexion and were also patterned with orange hibiscus flowers along the legs of the bathing suit. To match the shorts, he had on an unbuttoned orange and white, floral Hawaiian t-shirt that partially revealed his thin yet finely toned chest; his discomfort from the heat of the nearly suffocating summer sun was evident as several beads of sweat trickled down his bare chest.

At the other end of the spectrum, however, the two more 'outgoing' members of the bunch were dressed...well, let's just say more 'simply' than the other two boys. Axel sported just a tiny, bright red speedo that matched his equally flaming red locks. It hung low on his hips and, without any other form of clothing, revealed the V-outline of his lower abdomen as well as the rest of his tightly muscled torso. Similarly, Demyx also showed off his well defined figure, wearing a turquoise-colored speedo which complimented his 'bubbly' personality as well as his close connection to water. Together these guys made up the remaining members of what we now considered to be the 'gang'. And regardless of how they chose to dress themselves and the more than frequent scuffles among us, we maintained the strongest bonds of friendship.

"Soraaaaa! Rikuuuuu!" shouted Demyx, waving animately with his left arm while carrying a large and colorful beach ball under his right. He dropped the blowup sphere and bolted up to Riku and I, pulling us into a tight embrace. "It's good to see you guys. It feels like it's been ages. With all of the come-and-go business of the King, I forget how long we're away at times. I've missed the gang!"

"It's good to see you, too," greeted Riku with a smile. "We're glad to have the entire gang back together for some relaxation time."

Zexion walked toward our direction, politely said hello, and then proceeded to set up the umbrella and chair we had brought along with us. He now sat comfortably under the shade of the fabricated shelter, already engrossed in his book.

"Typical Zexion," I grinned.

"Hey, that's practically a hug in Zexion language," replied Demyx. "He's actually really happy to be hanging out with everyone. Isn't that right, Zexy?" motioned Demyx in his direction. Zexion lowered his shades, glared for a second before repositioning the lenses and returning to reading.

"Ya see," smiled Demyx in his normal upbeat mood.

"Hey you two! Long time no see. Oh wait, I live with you," came Roxas' voice, waving happily in our direction before he grabbed the volleyball net and began to set up the net in the sand.

"What's happening, kiddo," mocked Axel. He approached me and then proceeded to tousle my hair.

"You sound like an old pedophile saying that," I retorted, shoving away his hand. "Especially considering the skimpy 'outfit' you're wearing...if you can even consider that clothing."

"Ouch! That hurts, Sora," responded the flamehead with sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "I think someone needs a nap or maybe his diaper changed. Hey, Riku, why don't give Sora a hand if you know what I mean," he winked coyly.

"Let me at him!" I seethed before lunging at him like a hungry panther. Luckily Riku managed to grab ahold of my arms and restrained me from ripping him apart.

"Okay, Sora," calmed Riku softly. "He's just trying to get to you. Just ignore him. He does this all of the time."

At this point, Kairi and Demyx were rolling around in the sand, dying from laughter at the sight of our little battle of insults. I relaxed and answered, "Fine, let's just enjoy the beach and have some fun."

Axel taunted once more, "Awww, look at the wittle ba––."

"Axel!" shouted Roxas. "Why don't you be helpful for once and get your ass over here and help me set this up. Otherwise, you can find yourself a new a boyfriend and new a place to sleep. Right here on the beach looks nice, doesn't it?"

"Coming, dearest," replied Axel with a voice coated with sugar, dashing over in Roxas' direction.

"Whtch...whipped," spoke Riku in response to Axel's immediate reaction at the beckoning of his boyfriend.

At that, I gave Riku a daring look, "Don't even..." Riku stopped and looked away before quickly deciding to set up the blanket and picnic basket rather than chance another encounter with the me from earlier.

And that's what I meant by the love/hate relationship between Axel and I as well as the dysfunction that is our little group. Now that's true friendship.

OOO

After some time, we managed to set up everything and organize things accordingly. While Kairi and Demyx were laid out on beach towels and soaking up some rays, Riku, Roxas, Axel, and I had started a two-on-two beach volleyball match; it was Riku and I versus the other two. So far, the game was tied one set going to each, and our team was currently leading one point and going for the match point.

It was my serve, "14-13, match point!" I yelled as I jumped into the air. My hand cracked down on the ball, and it soared over the net. The ball flew toward the back, left corner of the field.

"Got it!" declared Axel, diving for the volleyball and bumping it high up into the air.

Roxas followed the ball as it continued upward and prepared to set it up so that Axel could spike it. The sun was blaring intensely, and Roxas closed his eyes for just an instant. In that small blink of an eye, something happened.

And after a few seconds and no ball to be seen, Roxas inquired confusedly, "Um...where did it go? I didn't let my eyes off of it. I swear. So unless gravity's decided to stop working, it should have come down by now."

We all gazed around the area. There were no trees in the vicinity for the ball to get stuck in, so it had to have landed on the ground somewhere. Right? That's when we noticed something mysterious had begun to take effect; the breeze that had constantly been blowing had ceased; the ocean's waves no longer crashed against the shore; the air felt strange, as though the molecules themselves were vibrating heavily against one another.

Zexion had surfaced from the pages of his story, also noticing that something strange was going on. Kairi and Demyx had risen as well. The three of them walked over and joined the rest of us as we tried to figure out what exactly was going on.

"Something is definitely not right here," announced Zexion. "The air has shifted. It's almost as if the dimension is––."

Zexion did not get the chance to finish his statement because in that very moment, we all began to lift off from the sand; we now began to float above the ground, rising slowly into the air.

"Everyone grab hands," I urged, quickly lacing mine into Riku's and Roxas'.

At this point, the vibrations were practically audible. For a moment I felt as though my body itself was shaking, and that I was beginning to separate cell by cell. The next thing I knew, there was a buzzing sound, a flash, and then nothing...

OOO

When I awoke, I felt the cold touch of marble pressed against my skin. I opened my eyes and looked around to see where I was and what had just transpired. The rest of the gang was starting to awaken as well, and everyone seemed to be here and in one piece thankfully. The entire room was fashioned from the same white marble as the floor. The ceiling towered above at about forty feet high and the room itself was of a huge area. However, there was something familiar about the surroundings, as if I had been here before at some point.

I swam through my memories trying to place the familiarity of the room when a tiny and also familiar voice spoke, "It's been a while hasn't it, everyone?"

We all turned our attention to the rear where the outline of a small, mouselike figure stood in the gigantic doorway. It was King Mickey!

"Sorry about the rough and unexpected teleportation," Mickey apologized profusely. "It was an emergency, and there was no time to send someone to personally bring you here. It's so good to see all of your faces. Far too long it has been. It's too bad about these circumstances unfortunately."

"What's happened?" asked Kairi with a worried tone in her voice.

"Well," started the King, "where to begin exactly...? I suppose, back to the beginning:

Four years ago, when the world of Destiny Islands was attacked by the Heartless and lost its very heart, something else resulted from it. Because of its overwhelming power and proximity to three strong hearts such as yours––Sora, Riku, and Kairi––the loss of a world like that required an equally powerful force to take its place in order to maintain the balance of the universe. Thus, when your island vanished, it catalyzed the formation of a mirror Destiny Islands. However, at the core of the world resided a heart of Darkness, not that of Light. Because of this, we kept our distance from the world so as not to influence it, and all seemed to be well at the time. That was, until about two months ago when a mysterious dark veil shrouded the world in complete darkness. We no longer could maintain neutrality with the land, and decided exploration was necessary. Furthermore, once one has made it through the barrier and onto the world, there is no way to return without an extraordinary amount of magical energy. That was when I decided that something needed to be done, because there was obviously something evil at work. I called upon the help of Yen Sid and Merlin for guidance. Together we decided that we would send someone to investigate the situation in person. In order to allow safe passage between the veil, Yen Sid, Merlin, Donald, Queen Minnie, and I pulled our magical powers to create an incredibly powerful magic orb that would grant this ability. After much deliberation, we decided that Leon and Cloud were best suited for the job. They gladly accepted the position and agreed that they would do reconnaissance and report back as soon as possible without engaging the enemy. That was two weeks ago, and we have yet to hear anything back from them. Once again we came together and agreed that the situation was far worse than we originally imagined, especially if Leon and Cloud could not handle it alone. We fear that something very powerful is at play here, and we need your strength. Should you accept, your mission would be to search for Leon and Cloud, figure out what is going on, and importantly, to recover the magical orb that they were carrying. If someone were to discover it and utilize the incredible power it holds for the power of evil, I'm afraid things could be catastrophic. I know this is asking a lot of you, especially after everything that you all have already done for us in the past––."

"Of course we'll do it," I interrupted. "Leon and Cloud are our friends, and we'd do anything to protect our friends. And if the universe is in danger of being destroyed, how can we sit idly by while it's wiped out when we can do something to prevent it. That's our duty as Keyblade wielders. We were chosen to protect the world from evil, and that is what we'll do."

"Well said, Sora," praised Demyx. "And we'll help out as well, because we're all in this together, aren't we, Zexion and Axel?"

Zexion and Axel nodded in accordance. "Besides," added Axel, "We can't just sit by and let you guys have all of the glory once it's all said and done."

Mickey smiled and continued, "I can't thank you all enough for your willingness and generosity. I knew I could always count on you guys to save the day. I would go in and do it myself in a heartbeat, but I have my duty to watch over the various worlds and couldn't forgive myself if something were to happen while I was away. Once again, thank you."

"So when you say a mirror Destiny Islands was created," questioned Kairi uneasily, "what exactly does that entail? It's the same layout and climate...?"

"Yes, all of that is true, Kairi," replied the King, "but there's more. In addition to the environment, we believe that hearts were also forged from Darkness in order to fill the void of all of the inhabitants living on the island."

"Are you saying that there could be replicas of Sora, Kairi, and I on that world?" interrogated Riku with a hint of agitation.

Everyone seemed unnerved by his question, but it was a very disturbing thought to consider. To think that there were other versions, possibly evil versions, of ourselves in the universe. Just imagining it gave me goosebumps.

Mickey responded cautiously, "Indeed that is true. I very well believe that you may encounter mirror versions of yourselves and hope that if it should occur, they will be friends, not foes."

We all looked around the room, examining each other's expressions and silently determining the final verdict.

"I think I speak for the group," spoke up Roxas, "in saying that this doesn't change the situation. The fact remains that something dark and mysterious is going on, and only we are capable of figuring out what that something is. Am I right?"

The gang unanimously agreed.

"So it's settled," I chimed. "It's another adventure for 'Team Sora'!"

"Excuse me," chided Axel. "Who decided that you get to be the leader of the group. I personally think 'Team Axel' has a nice ring to it."

Axel and I came nose-to-nose in a stare down and argued to determine the title of our little expedition group. I would not let that fireball boss me around. Over my dead body would he be telling me what to do.

"Ahem," coughed Zexion loudly. "How about Organization Destiny? It's a combination of our backgrounds; a symbol of our unified friendship."

"It does have a nice ring to it," I concluded grudgingly.

"Also," giggled Axel uncontrollably, "It can be abbreviated 'Org.Y.' for short. Get it? Orgy! Hahaha!

Axel got a smack to the face from Zexion. "Not funny..."

"Ok, ok," pleaded the redhead. "It can be Organization D. for short. Sounds legit to me."

"It's settled then," ushered Demyx. "Organization D. is now in business! Ready to kick ass and take names!"

"So, King Mickey," said Kairi, "How exactly are we getting to through the veil exactly?"

"That's no problem," responded the King. "I can use the magic I used to bring you here to transport you through the veil and onto the world. I just have no way of communicating with you nor brining you back. The only way for you to return would be for you to obtain the orb in Leon's and Cloud's possession and use that to teleport yourselves out of there."

"Well," I queried the group, "is everyone ready then?"

Riku spoke up hestitantly, "Can I have a quick word with Your Majesty...alone."

The group seemed to be a little concerned at the request, but Riku and the King have always had a very close relationship with one another considering how Mickey helped Riku through his struggles with the Darkness in the past. I tried not worry too much about it and let it go for the time being. There were more pressing matters to attend to.

"Of course, ma boy," answered the King. "Come this way. As for the rest of you, I suggest you come up with some plan of attack and prepare yourselves for departure. I'll also have my assistants bring you a change of clothes and supplies. As you are now, I fear you'll draw a little attention to yourselves, and we wouldn't want that, now would we?" finished Mickey with little chuckle and walked towards the far end of the room with Riku.

I looked down at my attire and realized that we were all still dressed in our beach clothes; some of us a little more indecent than the rest. *Cough* Axel *cough cough*. He, however, seemed unfazed by the King's remark and stood proudly showcasing his practically naked body. Demyx, on the other hand, who was perfectly comfortable in the beach environment was desperately trying to cover himself, a pink flush enveloping his face.

After a few moments, three small figures came fluttering through the air from the archway to the other room. At first they appeared to be little butterflies colored green, red, and blue but after closer inspection, it turned out to be Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather––the three fairy godmothers who had had helped me out in Yen Sid's tower before the original battle with the Organization years ago.

"It's nice to see you again, Sora," happily greeted the three fairies.

"It appears we have our work cut out for us this time, don't we sisters?" remarked Fauna, checking out the condition of the figures before them.

"Indeed we do," replied the other two simultaneously. They clustered together in heavy conversation, debating over various styles and color combinations. We stood waiting patiently and after some deliberation, they seemed to have reached a conclusion.

"All right now, everyone," commanded the fairies in unison. "Stand closely together. Try not to wiggle around too much. That makes for complications and all sorts of other problems. On three. One. Two. Three!"

Red, green, and blue lights flashed, swirling around us in a maelstrom of color. A few seconds passed, and the magical display faded. I looked at myself and to the others to examine the effects of the spell. I appeared to be dressed in my normal black outfit from the last time I experienced this. Both Roxas and Kairi were dressed normally, Roxas in his black and white ensemble and Kairi in her plaid skirt and short-sleeved white button down. The others were a different story. Axel now wore a pair of tight, black leather pants with buckled biker boots to match. In addition, he had on a fitted white and red checkered V-neck shirt and a black leather jacket to top it all off. Demyx found himself in a pair of light-washed skinny jeans, black and white, knee-nigh laced Converses, and finally a turquoise tank top, just like his speedo. Now Zexion, he was the real treat. He was dressed in cutoff jean shorts just above the knee and also sported some buckled biker boots. And for his upper half, well that was the fun part. For a shirt all he had was a black, unbuttoned vest, leaving his chest all but bare save for a silver-chained necklace with a the Nobody symbol dangling from his neck.

"The way the spell works is that we listen to the heart, and respond accordingly with our own input," explained Merryweather at seeing the confused expressions on our faces.

"I could get used to this," gleamed Axel, checking himself out from head-to-toe. "And Zexy––."

"Don't. You. Dare," hissed Zexion venomously between his teeth.

_"We listen to heart_," quoted Axel, trying hold back a deluge of snorts and laughter. "I wonder what your heart's trying to tell us. That's all I'm going to––."

Zexion gave his normal death stare at the redhead, daring him to say one more word.

"Well, personally I think you look sexy, Zexy," complimented Demyx with a cute wink.

Zexion blushed and pretended not to indulge in Demyx's adulations. Riku and Mickey's conversation had ended as the pair made there way back over towards us; Riku took up a spot right next to me. The three fairies noticed Riku's clothes and with a swish of their wands, Riku returned to his everyday wear of blue jeans and a black, sleeveless zippered shirt covered by a white and yellow vest. He examined himself and seemed to approve of the transformation.

"All right, guys," I announced, "I think everything is finally in order. It's time for Organization D. to save the world once again. Ready, King Mickey?"

The King nodded and prepared himself for the transportation magic. "Please be careful, everyone," he begged. "Try not to do anything unnecessary. Keep in mind that this is a world formed from Darkness, so who knows what it or its inhabitants will be like for certain. Most importantly, have faith in one another and remember to trust in your hearts. Your bonds are what truly make you all so strong. If you believe in that, nothing can defeat you."

And with that Mickey rose his hands into the air. That familiar sensation of the vibrating atmosphere once again appeared. The very fabric of space began to stretch and ripple. I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of stomach that what we were about to face was going to be more dangerous than anything we've ever faced before. Riku must have sensed my unease, for in the moment he snaked his fingers into mine. With that simple gesture, my body relaxed and at least during that instant, I knew things would work out. A second later the familiar buzzing noise resounded through the hall, we were lifted into the air and, once again with a flash, nothing.

OOO

A/N: AHHHHHHHHHHH! I can't believe I finally did it! It feels so good to have that first chapter written out at last, granted it was much longer and more entertaining to write than what I was previously expecting. Yay for going overboard on details! Must be overcompensating for my lack of writing these past couple of years. Anyway, most importantly, I hope you all enjoyed it as much I did! There wasn't a lot of action this chapter, but I promise that that is all that makes up the remaining chapters. LOTS OF ACTION (among other things). I'd love feedback and comments whether they're good or bad critiques, something specific you enjoyed, or even "I really like it so far! Keep it up!" These are the the things that motivate me to write more and push me to be a better writer. First and foremost, I write for you guys, otherwise I would just keep these ideas locked up tight in this crazy head of mine. Anyway, I'm going to call it a night (Christmas is tomorrow(today), I suppose). Happy Holidays and expect updates from me. The next chapter is going to be a doozy! Lots of love.

-SorasOblivion


	2. Chapter 2

**Kingdom Hearts: Dark Trinity**

* * *

A/N: Another chapter finished! YAYYYYY! Well, I hope you all enjoyed the previous one, and I really appreciate the views! A shout out to Talltree-san for the comment! Your words made me think that at least one person likes the story so far! I mean, it's not like I'm a comment whore and and check multiple times a day to see if I have knew ones or anything _ This chapter has a lot more action and starts to really get into the plot. It was a lot of fun to write although I wish I could be less distracted and crank these things out faster! Anyway, I won't keep you any longer, so here it is! ENJOY!

OOO

**Chapter 2: Through the Looking Glass**

I felt as though I was stuck in some dark void for what seemed like an eternity. I had no sense of body, and my thoughts appeared to be the only manifestation of myself. Soon, however, that familiar buzzing sound from before returned, and a brilliant flash of light illuminated everything, filling the emptiness of this in-between space.

The light vanished instantly, and I was momentarily disoriented before remembering the task at hand. I glanced around trying to figure out where exactly we had been transported. It seemed we had landed in the middle of a cobblestone street. At first I was confused as to where on Destiny Islands, if this was even the same Destiny Islands as our own, we had landed. The road was dimly lit by the the light of street lamps, but everything was silent. All of the buildings were rundown, closed up with nails and wooden boards. The surrounding area seemed completely vacated and not only that, but the atmosphere in the air felt dark and damp, as if all life on the planet was being consumed by some dark force.

It was in that moment that it finally clicked, having recognized a dilapidated yet still discernible store sign that read "Agatha's Antiquated Antiquities."

"Everyone," I started, turning to inform the gang on my finding, "This is––"

I stopped mid sentence as I realized that I was completely alone. We must have somehow been separated during the transmission from the King's castle to here, which I now recognized to be the business district of Ocean Crest, specifically Sandy Cove Avenue, in the major city of the main island. Something terrible must have happened to have caused such a bustling part of our world to transform into this––a lifeless shell of what I so vividly remembered.

I could only hope that the others had managed to arrive safely here on...Mirror Destiny Islands, I suppose? It felt strange to call it by my home's name when it was so evidently not the same place. There wasn't that warm and comforting feeling that the Islands had given me all of these years. I pushed that aside for now and decided that, in the meantime, I may as well start looking for clues to the whereabouts of Cloud, Leon, this magical orb, and pray that I'd run into the others along the way.

I began walking north down the avenue in hopes that something helpful would present itself. There was no luck as I passed countless boarded up shambles of once previously booming businesses. The worst part was the overwhelming silence, and how I felt my very thoughts could be heard reverberating against every nook and cranny of the abandoned street; it gave me a deep sensation of loneliness and was amplified by the fact that I was currently separated from my friends.

I continued walking onward without any sign of life when I heard a sudden movement from behind. Quickly turning around to see where the noise came from, I noticed a dark figure flee into the shadows of the nearby alleyway. The outline seemed too large to be an animal; it was either a person or something else I wished not to think about.

"Come out!" I commanded hesitantly, imagining what sort of creature would be sneaking around a place like this. "I know you're there!"

There was no sign of movement initially but after a few more seconds, the outline of the mysterious stalker slowly revealed itself in the dim glow of the streetlight. The figure was no creature, but in fact, a woman. She had long dark hair that flowed over her back with a simple white t-shirt pressed tightly against her large chest. She wore a pair of black shorts with suspenders pulled taut over her shoulders and sported leather gloves on either hand.

"Tifa...?" I uttered incredulously to the girl before me.

OOO

The well-lit streets were empty; light glowed from the windows of the houses on either side of the road but aside from the hum of the occasional passing car, life was contained indoors.

Kairi walked along the sidewalk, quietly taking in her familiar yet somehow alien environment. _It's strange,_ thought Kairi. _What could have happened to drive these people to such fear and recluse?_

Suddenly, from a nearby alley on the opposite side of the street, a cat darted out from the shadows. Quickly following in pursuit behind the feline was a little girl frantically calling for her pet, "CiCi! You know you can't be roaming around at these times. It's dangerous!"

Kairi smiled, feeling a bit more at ease knowing that she wasn't the only person wandering around the city even if only temporarily. CiCi flew out into the cobblestone street and the child obliviously chased after her. In that same instant, a noisy vroom issued close by, and a vehicle came speeding down the road, approaching fast. Everything seemed to slow down in Kairi's mind; she saw the helplessly unaware child in the line of fire.

Instinctively, the redhead bolted into her direction, shouting, "Get out of the road!"

Her muscles flexed and tightened, forcing herself to run faster. She was ten meters away, and the car's headlights were already beaming upon them both now; the little girl was paralyzed in fear, mesmerized as she stared head-on at the incoming vehicle. Kairi lunged into the air, making contact with the girl. She wrapped herself around her in protection and rolled sideways onto the sidewalk just before the car zoomed by a second later, not a single sign of attempting to slow down.

Kairi released the girl and scolded her in a adamant yet caring tone, "What were you thinking? You could have been seriously injured! You need to be more careful next time, ok?"

The tiny child nodded, tears practically welling up in her little blue eyes. "Thank you, miss! I won't do it again, promise!" she replied both graciously and apologetically.

CiCi came sauntering up next to Kairi's side, weaving herself in and out between her legs. She lifted up the furry instigator and handed it to the girl. "Be sure to keep a more watchful eye on this one, and head on home like a good girl," smiled Kairi, gently patting her on the head.

The child grinned and dashed off in the direction she had come from just minutes before the whole incident occurred.

"That was a very noble thing you did there," spoke an unknown man's voice from behind. "It's not something you see very often around here anymore."

Kairi turned to face the man and responded, "It was instinctive. Anyone would have done the same in my situation. I couldn't just let her get hurt."

She gazed upon the figure, face-to-face, whom now stood before her. His height towered easily over her at six-feet and three-inches tall; he had a sturdy and finely muscled body, think Riku but bigger; the man was dressed in a fishnet shirt covered by an unzipped, short-sleeved leather jacket, revealing his heavily chiseled stomach while a plain silver locket dangled against his collarbone; he wore a pair of jeans with holes in the knees along with a pair of laced up black boots; his face was attractive, skin a hue of beige with a strong jaw and high cheekbones; hair a soft, powdered pink that was slicked back in a long ponytail; and eyes the color of honey that seemed seemed to look right through her. He appeared to be around aged twenty, but she couldn't tell for certain.

"It's just...you don't seem to fit in around here exactly. You've got a kind look in your eyes; that's very rare nowadays. Not to mention you're walking around alone at an hour like this." Kairi looked away, trying to avert his gaze on her. She felt her heart skip a beat, and didn't like how vulnerable he made her feel. "Sorry, I don't think I properly introduced myself," excused the pink-haired man, putting out his hand to shake. "I'm Alastor. And who might you be?"

Kairi hesitated a moment before placing hers against his warm, extended hand, "Kai––Kara. I'm Kara," lied Kairi, not wanting to reveal her true identity to this stranger.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Kara," replied Alastor in a polite manner. "What exactly _are_ you doing at an hour like this?"

"I'm going to..." fumbled Kairi, trying to think up another a lie, "I'm going to meet up with some friends." _This in fact, was entirely true_, she thought afterwards. That made her feel a little better about deceiving him. She didn't like how she was worrying so much about this stranger she had just met.

"And you couldn't have chosen a time earlier on in the day? Nighttime isn't the safest time of day for a lady to be wandering through the streets. How about I accompany––"

"I can take care of myself, thanks!" retorted Kairi, enraged to think that he would consider her some frail maiden in need of a chaperone. _Who does he think I am,_ she seethed in her head. _I have fought countless Heartless, Nobodies, and other dark forces._ _I don't need––_

"I didn't mean to insinuate," Alastor quickly defending his previous statement. "Clearly you know how to handle yourself, considering how you just jumped in front of moving car to save that little girl. I just figured you wouldn't mind a little company, a least for a little while anyway..."

"Oh," muttered Kairi, a little ashamed of having jumped to conclusions so quickly. This guy appeared to unnerve Kairi somewhat. She didn't exactly know what to think of him. He seemed nice enough, but was there something more to him? She decided then that she'd make it her goal to find out. "Sure," she answered him with a little smirk.

They started off in the direction Kairi had been walking before the event of the car. She had not forgotten the mental note she had made to herself, and inquired, "So what's your story?"

"Well," processed Alastor not even slightly taken aback by her blunt and probing question.

Once again she felt a jab at her conscience. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so intrusive."

"No," grinned the man, "it's perfectly all right. Really. I don't mind at all. I think people should be honest, and say what they're thinking. Life's too short to worry about tiptoeing around certain matters."

There was that stabbing guilt again.

"Let's see," Alastor thought aloud. "When I was much younger, I lived happily on the outskirts of town with my little sister, my mom, and my dad. My parents were doctors at the local hospital and while they were away at work, I attended elementary school and my sister preschool; life was simple and pleasant. One day while my parents were on their to pick us up from school, however, there was a terrible car accident. There was no time to do anything before flames engulfed the entire car, my mom and dad still inside."

"I'm so sorry," whispered Kairi, placing her hand tenderly against his arm.

"Don't worry about it. That's all in the past now," he added, trying to reassure the redhead. "Anyway, my sister and I had no known family at the time, so we were placed into the care of an orphanage to wait for someone to take us in. I promised myself then that I'd make sure she was happy and protect her no matter what.

Months passed and still nothing. Then, one afternoon, I saw him. A man was talking to the woman in charge and inquired about a possible adoption, wishing to look around at the children living there in the house. He entered into our temporary habitation and gazed upon my sister and I with a smiling hello. She waved back, grinning at the prospect of going _home_ and getting away from this place; I really couldn't blame her, and he seemed nice enough. It wasn't long after that we eventually went home together with that same man. I was eternally grateful for him rescuing us from that lonely prison; I didn't want that to be what my sister remembered of her childhood. Ya see, I had memories of the time with my mom and dad, but she was young and her few recollections of them would soon fade over time. The man cared for us, educated us, and most of all saved us from oblivion. My sister doesn't really remember much of our old life, but I still remember their kindness, generosity, laugher, and love. Anyway, I grew up to be the handsome man you see before you, and that's that," he finished off with a coy smile.

Kairi chuckled at his ending statement and gave him a heavy nudge, "Oh you're handsome, all right. Handsomely smug."

"I got you to laugh, didn't I?" Alastor smirked victoriously.

OOO

"Eternal Flame, Erupt!" commanded Axel after flinging his chakrams towards his opponent.

The rings circled above the enemy before a column of fire exploded up into the air, annihilating the foe; or so it seemed. The blaze slowly shrunk and then completely vanished; in an instant, his fiery attack came hurtling back in his direction.

"Look out," shouted Roxas as he knocked Axel to the ground.

"Waterfall Aegis!" spoke Zemyx, calling forth an enormous, aqueous barrier to protect his two comrades.

"It's not going to work," explained Zexion. "As long as it has that mirrored shield, we can't lay a finger on it. It just absorbs our attacks and then sends them back at us at double the strength."

Zexion was referring to the creature in front of them. It didn't appear to be a Heartless or a Nobody; it was something entirely new and distinct, or they I should say. Before them stood a giant, steel-grey colored lion with an ivory, shaggy mane. It was clad in armored plates and razor-sharp teeth and claws. Mounted upon the beast was an eight-foot tall knight, completely protected by his pitch-black armor. In one hand he wielded a silvery, five-foot long saber and in the other, an enormous and circular shield plated with a giant mirror––the source of the problem at hand.

"Well, you're the genius, Zexion," suggested Axel lifting himself and Roxas up off of the ground. "Think of something! In the meantime, we'll buy you some time! Here kitty, kitty, kitty!" he taunted at the lion.

The beast roared in anger. It opened it's mouth wide; a dark sphere began to form as negative energy collected around it.

"He's right," agreed Roxas as he readied his two keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "You figure out a plan of attack, and let us know what to do!"

Zexion nodded and retreated back into the distance to give him some space to analyze the situation.

The dark lion howled, and the energy orb blasted toward them.

Roxas glowed brightly with light of every imaginable color. He crossed his weapons in an X-formation and uttered, "Aurora Sphere!" The energy from his body gathered at their intersection, focusing the light into an enormous globe before launching the attack forward, impacting with the enemy's attack.

Light and darkness met with a powerful explosion that sent a wave of rubble and dust flying everywhere. Roxas had managed to stop the beast's attack from hitting them head on.

"Nice one, Roxas," cheered Axel to his boyfriend. "I love it when you get all serious in battle. It's such a turn on."

A small smile escaped Roxas before he replied, "It's not over yet, so stay on your guard. There's no time to play around!"

As the cloud of dirt began to clear, movement could be seen from the dark entities. The knight raised his colossal sword high into the air. It began to surge with power as shadowy sabers could be seen taking form, hovering above its emotionless form.

"Uh oh, I think we just made it angry," declared Demyx raising up his sitar in preparation.

The dark soldier brought his weapon down and with it, the blades flew toward them. They braced themselves for the incoming onslaught. It was steel against steel as the three men parried the swords' blows. The attack didn't end there, however, as the sabers continued to attack one after another, controlled by the knight like puppets of a marionette.

"I'm tired of this," whined Demyx as he whacked away two more blades. "Stand back and let me handle these. Arpeggio's Song!" Dozens of Demyx water clones began to materialize from droplets of water in the air. "I'll match you clone for clone, dude." His own liquid copies went toe-to-toe with the shadowy duplicates of the knight.

"Everyone! I think I've got something," announced Zexion. "Hurry over here, and I'll explain real quickly!"

The gang huddled together very briefly while Zexion described the plan of attack. The clones battled on freely during this little gathering. The group dispersed as Zexion ran toward the creatures shouting, "Come and get me, you dense oaf and overgrown house-cat! Show me your worst!"

The lion and his master seemed infuriated by the boy's provocations. Bored with Demyx's clones, the shadowy swords dissipated. In response, Demyx dismissed his as well. The lion once again readied his energy blast from before, while the knight's mirror glimmered with a dark aura. They released their attacks simultaneously, the orb melding with the warrior's own beam of energy.

Zexion smirked confidently. "Identity Crisis! Assassin's Mimicry!" he pronounced simultaneously.

A maza of mirrors appeared and encircled the enemy. The combination attack was absorbed into one of them, exactly like the knight's own shield; this was Zexion's power: the ability to temporarily steal and mimic his opponent. The attack was released and reflected continuously from one mirror to the next, picking up speed and doubling in strength as it bounced around like it was trapped in a pinball machine. The dark soldier couldn't keep up with the ricocheting blast, so it didn't even see the attack coming as it fired from the final mirror positioned directly behind it in its blind spot. The knight was catapulted from his steed by the blast, several hundred times more powerful than the original source. His beast was left masterless and confused.

"Binding Will-O-Wisp," spoke Axel, brandishing a fiery whip that he gripped in his hand. He latched onto the flying warrior's arm equipped with the shield, slamming him into the ground while dislodging the mirror from his grasp; the troublesome weapon was no longer in the way.

"Now, everyone!" demanded Zexion. "Let's finish this!" The four friends swelled with incredible strength.

Axel brought his hands up to his face, cupping them around either side of his mouth. He took a deep breath.

Oathkeeper and Oblivion disappeared from Roxas' hands. He extended his arms in front of him with hands facing palms out and overlapping. Light enveloped his fingers and he yelled, "Final Judgement!" while Axel released his attack as well, "Dragon's Breath, Incinerate!"

A cylinder of pure, white energy fired from Roxas, directed at the fallen knight. Similarly, Axel spouted a stream of intense, blue flames. The two attacks collided with their helpless target, vaporizing him into nothingness.

Zexion opened and lifted his magical tome above him, readying his attack on the lion.

Demyx rested his sitar against his abdomen and whispered quietly to it, "You ready, Arpeggio, old girl? Let's do it!" He raised his hand high and then brought it down heavily upon the strings, "Sonic Crescendo!"

"Calamitous Origami, Shred!" ordered Zexion.

Slicing pages from his book, imbued with deadly precision, rocketed forward, propelled by Demyx's own powerful, sonorous attack. They slammed into the poor beast, tearing it into pieces.

"And that's how it's done!" hailed Demyx, jumping up and down while he strummed his instrument. "That was some plan, Zexy. I knew I picked a smart one when I fell for you," he winked playfully.

"Yeah, Zexion, you really saved our hides," praised Roxas with a thumbs-up.

"Really, it was nothing," noted Zexion. "I merely analyzed the situat––"

"Do you know how to take a compliment, Zex?" interrupted Axel wrapping his arm around Zexion's shoulder. "Just say thanks, big guy."

At that comment, everyone started to laugh. Even Zexion himself cracked a smile at the whole ordeal, pushing his hair out of his face. "Thanks, everyone."

OOO

I never imagined that I'd run into Tifa in a place like this. Before now I'd I only met her a handful of times and always in the company of Cloud. Like Cloud and the others, she had voluntarily decided to work for the King, offering up her services when they were needed. Other than the fact that she had grown up with Cloud, I didn't really know too much about her or her past. Although always friendly and talkative in our few encounters, she lived a very solitary life and rarely sought out any sort of company other than that of Cloud and now, Leon, whom she had recently grown accustomed to; although, this was due in part to the fact that he was now Cloud's boyfriend. However, Tifa didn't seem bothered by this and actually seemed delighted that Cloud had found someone he could truly open up to and trust.

"What are you doing here, Tifa?" I asked, still shocked at her presence here.

She slowly stepped forward with hesitation, as if she wasn't completely assured that I wasn't an enemy.

"Sora?" she whispered softly as she walked towards my direction. "Is that really _you_?"

As she came closer, I could more clearly see her under the dim lights. Dark stains flecked her tattered shirt; various cuts and bruises covered her beaten body. These had obviously resulted from some serious battle and considering Tifa's level of strength, her opponent must have been incredibly powerful.

Running up to support her injured form, I pleaded, "Tell me what happened to you? Who did this to you?"

"I'm so glad to see you, Sora..." she managed before tears came running down her flushed cheeks. "I knew you'd come."

Tifa was kind but by no means had she ever showed signs of vulnerability. She was strong and fearless, so for someone to have put her in such a severe condition...

Her weight collapsed against me. "Let me heal you," I suggested, placing her gently down next to the wall. "I'm not the best healer, but I can restore most of your magic and fix up your wounds." I summoned the Kingdom Key and called out, "Cure!" Green light glimmered across her body, sealing her abrasions, removing the black and blue contusions, and easing the pain radiating throughout her.

After a few moments, the light abated and Tifa spoke with a smile, "Thanks, Sora. I feel almost a hundred percent. You really saved my hide just now. I owe you one!" She raised herself off of the ground and stretched out her muscles, testing her rejuvenated state with a few air punches and kicks.

"It's no problem," I replied with a big, cheesy grin. "That's what friends are here for. But Tifa, can you tell me what exactly happened?"

Tifa took a deep breath and sighed, "Let's see:

_It all started after I had just come back from finishing up a mission for the King. I was heading to his office to report when I overheard him talking to someone. I peeked in through the slightly ajar door to see him addressing Cloud and Leon. He was talking about investigating some mysterious world to do reconnaissance and some magical orb of sorts. In my opinion, from the details he was giving about all of it, the mission seemed pretty dangerous. Visiting some unknown world with no idea of the possible threats it held seemed too much for only those two to handle, and I am more than aware of the strength Leon and Cloud possess. It was then and there that I decided I would secretly follow the two and jump in to help should the moment present itself; Cloud always has a way of biting off more than he can chew, and he'll never admit to needing help. He's something..._

_Anyway, when the day came to carry out King's wishes, I made sure to be watching their every move. Mickey, Leon, and Cloud gathered in one of the castle's halls. He handed them what seemed to be a crystal the size of golfball and told them to keep it from falling into the wrong hands, for it held incredible power. After bidding their farewells, the King raised his hands into the air, at which a strange energy resonated throughout the room. There was a humming noise, a flash of light, and then they had vanished. Luckily, during the whole process, I used my Mime Materia to capture the very the spell that he had just used to transport Cloud and Leon to this mysterious world. I quickly hurried off to the outskirts of the castle courtyard where I could escape the watchful eyes of the King's Guard before preparing for my own departure. I inhaled deeply and called forth the power of my magic. The same sensations resounded around me and the next thing I knew, there was a flash and then nothing._

_I awoke to find myself on an unknown street with no sight of Leon or Cloud. Having no idea where I was, I carefully set out in search of them, hoping that I wouldn't run into something else. After hours of walking and no luck, I heard an explosion and smoke billowing up from a couple of blocks down the road. I dashed off in the direction of the commotion, praying that it was them I'd find. What I discovered were buildings reduced to ashes and the stone-clad street spotted with craters. Among the blaze of fire, I saw the outline of a person lying on the ground. Racing nearer, I noticed the familiar blond locks of none other than Cloud himself._

_"Cloud!" I cried at seeing his badly beaten form lying defenselessly on the ground._

_He turned his gaze in my direction, "Tifa?" he questioned with both a confused and terrified expression on his face._

_"What's going on? Who did this to you?" I begged fervently, kneeling to his side. "Don't worry, I'll heal you, and everything will be all right! Don't worry, Cloud. I won't let––"_

_"There's no time, Tifa," he uttered as he fumbled around in his jacket for something._

_"What do you mean there's no time?" I spouted frantically. "I have to help you. Where's Leo––"_

_"Tifa!" shouted Cloud, placing his his strong hand firmly on my shoulder. "You have to take this," handing me the orb given to him by the King only hours ago––when everyone was still safe. "Don't let them get ahold of it! Get back to the castle and warn the King. Tell him to bring reinforcements. It's worse than we had imagined."_

_"But I can't just leave you two here to die!" I cried, trying to hold back the tears forming in my eyes._

_In that moment three shadows took form among the dazzling flames._

_Cloud sensed the urgency and placed himself as a barrier between me and the unknown figures. _

_Leon also came stumbling out from the debris of a nearby alley. "You heard the man. Get going," he ordered. "We'll handle these guys, no problem," he added with a smirk, trying to put on a façade while he clearly struggled to maintain his upright position._

_"Go!" demanded Cloud one last time._

_I turned tail and bolted in the opposite direction of the battlefield. I quickly glanced back to see a magical blast charging straight for me._

_"Lion's Barrage!" erupted Leon, fireballs shooting from his gunblade, intercepting and impacting explosively against the magic._

_I ran, and ran, and ran, hoping that they would be safe. It was all I could do to keep going._

It appeared her story had concluded. "Sora," hesitated Tifa, "about the three figures that I saw...they were––"

"Aw, aw, aw," issued a familiar voice from the rooftop of one of the buildings above. "We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, now would we?"

The person, obscured in darkness, jumped into the air from three stories up. She landed gracefully about twenty meters in front us, now completely illuminated by the light.

"I don't...I don't...understand," I stammered as I stared at the redhead. "Kairi...?"

* * *

A/N: What did you guys think? I'm a sucker for the action scenes. They're so much fun to write. And TIFA?! I finally got to put her in a story! Also, the subtlety of title amuses me; both an homage to Disney's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and a play on the whole mirror world situation (yes, I know I am a dork). Ok, done. PLEASE COMMENT! I love, love, love your feedback, my lovely fans!

-SorasOblivion


End file.
